Wind of Change
by vagleefan
Summary: Despite being in a relatively happy marriage with Finn, Rachel develops a budding friendship with neightbor, Puck, after moving in across the street from him. Will she blur the lines and let it become more? AU
1. Chapter 1

**As with all my other stories, I don't own Glee or the characters…blah, blah, blah. I do however own the idea of this story & the muse that writes it. I also don't condone anything that may (or may not) happen in this story, but you know me…gotta have some angst to mix it up a bit. Enjoy!**

The first time he sees her she is down on her knees by her front steps, pulling weeds from a small bed of flowers. Her hair is pulled high in a ponytail, a small dog by her side. He knows she just moved in a few weeks ago. He saw the moving truck, but really hasn't had the time to go introduce himself. He only caught a glimpse of her carrying boxes in when she first moved in.

He's washing his car when her small dog comes over, sniffing around his mailbox that same afternoon. Before he can shoo the dog away, the petite brunette is yelling as she jogs across the street.

"Fiyero, come back here this instance." Puck is shocked such a small person could have such a booming voice. The little dog makes no attempt to dart back across the street, instead running up to Puck, sniffing his leg. Puck dropped the hose, scooping the little white dog up in his arms.

"I think this belongs to you." Puck holds the dog out, his neighbor quickly scooping it up into a hug.

"Thank you." She smiles, turning her attention to the dog. "You naughty boy, Fiyero. You know better than to run off."

"I think he just wanted to help me wash my car." Puck winks, running a hand through his dark hair. He couldn't help but notice the way her shorts hugged her hips.

"I'm sorry; I don't think we've been formally introduced." Placing the tiny dog under one arm, she thrust out her right hand. "I'm Rachel Hudson."

"Puck." He returns the handshake, slightly amazed how firm it was. She sure does pack quite a punch for such a small person.

"Puck?" She wrinkles her nose. "Is that your real name?"

"It's what I go by. Only my ma calls me Noah and it usually means she's fired up about something." Puck laughs. Rachel giggled in response and he likes the way her eyes light up when she laughs. "Puck is short for Puckerman, my last name."

"Well it's very nice to meet you _Noah_." Rachel smiles, putting an emphasis on his first name.

"Very nice meeting you Rachel." He can't help but wiggle an eyebrow at her. Yeah she was on the short side, but he had to admit she was kind of hot, especially with her little shorts on. He was muttering a thankful prayer in his head for finally getting a hot-as-balls neighbor when he spotted the wedding band on her finger. He hadn't noticed a guy at her house, but then again he hadn't really been paying attention either.

"My husband, Finn will be home this weekend. You should come by and meet him." Rachel adjusted the dog in her hands before turning away, walking back towards her house.

"Sure, I'll do that." He muttered under his breath as he watched her kneel back down in the grass, her little dog again at her side.

It was a week later to the day when he met her husband Finn for the first time. It involved a screw driver, not tiny shorts and a little dog. He came to borrow one, since neither he nor Rachel could locate any of their three still packed away in the unopened garage boxes.

Puck had to admit it was hard not to like the guy. He was like someone you met and immediately felt like you had known all your life. Finn explained that he was vice president of sales to some big corporation in the city, a place Puck had never heard of before. He said he traveled a lot, sometimes being gone for several days at a time, which explained the move to a more secure neighborhood. He wanted to make sure Rachel was safe while he was away.

"It was great meeting you Puck." Finn said, clapping his hand on Puck's shoulder. "Once we finally get settled in, you should come over and have dinner with us. Rachel cook's a mean vegan Mexican casserole."

"Sound's great." Puck smiled, even though he had no clue what a vegan casserole was.

He watched his new neighbor disappear across the street and back into his own house. It would just his luck to have a hot girl move in across the street, who was not only married, but her husband was actually a good guy. _Fuck my life_, he thought.

**Sorry for the short chapter, but it serves as sort of an introduction to how they all meet. Reviews and support are always encouraged and appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I can't thank you all enough for the positive responses I've received. You have no idea what that means to me as a writer. Just a disclaimer that time does tend to skip around, so bear with me. I don't own Glee or the characters, unfortunately. Enjoy!**

She's not sure what she's doing there, sitting on Puck's front steps at dusk, the yellow summer dress Finn bought her on their last anniversary clinging to her body. The humidity is higher than usual; making what would normally be a comfortable evening, stuffy.

Puck's standing in front of her, a white take out bag dangling from his hand. She glances at him, then back to the bag, a small frown forming. In her mind it seemed like a good idea to invite him to dinner since Finn bailed on her, now her subconscious was telling her differently.

"Give me a second to change." Puck slips past her, unlocking the front door. Rachel stands up, smoothing down the back of her dress.

"What about your dinner?" She peers through the front door, watching him toss the white bag in his refrigerator before disappearing down the hall.

"I can save it for tomorrow night." He calls from a back room. She's not sure why a smile has spread across her face, but suddenly her face is flushed, her dress clinging even tighter to her back. She can't recall exactly when her and Puck became such good friends, probably somewhere between the time she blew a breaker in her house while Finn was on travel, Puck coming to the rescue and the time he watched her dog so she could go into the city and spend a few days closer to Finn for their anniversary.

Puck appears in the doorway, a clean pair of jeans and a button down shirt on. Locking the front door, he closes it behind him, stopping briefly to look at her dress.

"Hope you weren't planning on anywhere fancy." Puck frowns, glancing down at his attire.

"Nope, I thought we'd try that new place over on Sycamore." Rachel follows him to his dark blue Mustang parked in the driveway.

They both are silent as Puck exits the neighborhood, pulling out slowly onto the highway. He picks up speed, shifting the car smoothly as Rachel watches several rows of houses and businesses whiz by.

The restaurant is dimly lit, only a few tables filled, when they enter. The hostess seats them in the back corner, leaving menus for them as she takes their drink order. Rachel glances at the menu, quickly scanning for any vegan meals.

"Thanks for coming with me tonight." She peers over the top of the menu and sees Puck staring at her.

"S'no problem." He nods his head towards her, a slight grin on his face.

"Finn had to work late again." Rachel frowns, setting the menu on the table.

"Figured as much." Puck shrugs. He knows he's never been the best boyfriend, hell he's pretty sure he's only _technically_ been a boyfriend two or three times. Most times it's just a one night stand, followed up by ignored phone calls on his end. He's never been one for commitment. Woman are usually clingy and demanding, not his style at all. But Rachel's different. She's not like most of the girls he's met over the years. In the few months he's known her, she's been nothing but supportive of him, even encouraging him to pursue his love of writing music. He can't help but feel a pang of jealousy towards Finn coupled with the need to punch the dude. Sure they're friends, but he couldn't imagine ditching a hot wife like that, job or no job.

"You're so quiet." Rachel cuts her salad slowly, peering up at Puck through her bangs. "Whatcha thinking about?"

Puck can feel his face redden, the warmth spreading up to the top of his head. _You_, he wanted to tell her, _I'm always thinking about you. _

"Just this song I've been working on." He sees her eyes light up, bouncing in her chair ever so slightly.

"Really?" Her head perks up too. "Do I get to hear it?"

"Maybe when I'm finished." He winks, taking a swig of his beer, hoping to cool himself down. He knows he shouldn't let himself get this worked up over her, but somehow she has this affect on him.

"I'm sure it will be fantastic." She grins, reaching across the table to take his hand in hers. Puck jumps slightly at her touch, her skin practically burning his with her touch. His eyes dart around the room, willing himself to look anywhere but at her right now.

"You have a gift, Noah." She turns his hand over in hers and places her other hand over his palm. He's not sure why she's doing this, but he can't bring himself to pull away. "Don't waste it."

"Thanks." He blushes, finally pulling his hand away from hers slowly, missing the contact of her skin as soon as he does. She smiles at him before taking a sip of her water. His mind is racing, trying to think of something else to talk about, something that doesn't involve her touching him.

"Oh look, they have a band here tonight." Rachel points to a small stage behind them. Puck cranes his neck, spotting several people on stage setting up instruments. He watches them for a few minutes, silently wondering if he would be in that very same place one day, instead of turning wrenches on high end cars all day.

The band starts playing before either of them has finished eating. Puck has to stifle a laugh as Rachel occasionally bobs her head to the music. She clearly loves music as much as he does. The waitress is clearing the table when the band begins playing a slow song, something Puck doesn't recognize. Rachel gasps, jumping up and grabbing Puck's hand, pulling him from his chair.

"Dance with me." She squeals, as a few other couples make their way out to the tiny dance floor. He tries to protest, but she ignores his excuses of how bad a dancer he is. Instead she drapes her arms on his shoulders and begins swaying to the music before he can even touch her waist. Reluctantly he places his hands on her waist, barely touching her. She's not paying attention, instead smiling and singing along softly with the band.

"_I just fell, don't know why. Something's there we can't deny. And when I first knew was when I first looked at you." _

Puck nearly chokes as he listens to her sing. Her voice is beautiful, though soft, and the words make his short hair stand on end.

"_And if I can't find my way. If salvation seems worlds away. Oh I'll be found when I'm lost in your eyes."_

He's mesmerized, as if the words of the song were written about him. He realizes he's not paying attention when he steps on the edge of Rachel's foot. She howls, pulling away quickly. Mumbling an apology, he heads back to their table before the song has ended. The waitress has kindly left the bill on the table. Fumbling through his wallet, he tosses several bills on the table, looking over his shoulder to see if Rachel has followed him.

"Thanks for dancing with me." She's next to him, watching the waitress take the money from the table. "You didn't have to pay. I was the one who invited you."

"It's ok." He nods at her. "Sorry I stepped on your foot. I told you I was a bad dancer."

Rachel grabs her purse, checking her cell phone quickly as they exit the restaurant. Two missed calls from Finn. She dials his number quickly as she slips into the passenger seat of Puck's car.

"Hey you." Rachel purrs into the phone. Puck can't but notice the sexy tone she's using. "Noah and I just finished having dinner."

His palms are sweaty as he listens to her side of the conversation. Shit, he can't believe she just told her husband they went to dinner together. Maybe coming with her tonight wasn't such a good idea.

"No, we went to that new place I was telling you about." She's still using her sexy voice, he notices. "We'll be home in a little bit."

"So I take it Finn's finally home." He watches her nod.

After a few minutes, Puck pulls into his driveway. Finn is standing on his own front porch, a beer in hand, his crisp white dress shirt unbuttoned at the top, a tie draped over one shoulder.

Before Puck can get out of the car, Rachel leans closer to him, placing her hand on his forearm.

"Thanks for keeping me company tonight." He can't help but notice how big her grin is. He doesn't answer her, instead opening the car door slowly. Taking her purse, Rachel runs across the street, throwing her arms around Finn. Puck tries not to look as Finn dips his wife back dramatically, kissing her hard. He's pretty sure some tongue was involved as well.

Slamming the car door, he glances back over his shoulder just in time to see Rachel grab Finn by the hand and lead him inside. _What a great guy you are Puckerman_, he thinks, _you wine and dine a beautiful woman and yet her husband is the one who gets to take her home. Who's the lucky one now?_

**Oh the sexual tension in the air! Puck can see it, Rachel not so much yet. The song Rachel sings is _Lost in Your Eyes_ by Debbie Gibson…if you've never heard it, go look it up. The words describe exactly how Puck feels when he's around Rachel. More to come…**


	3. Chapter 3

**I feel like I just can't thank you all enough for the story alerts, reviews & making this one of your favorite stories. I do have a disclaimer though…I know this is a Puck/Rachel story; however Finn is a large part of it as well, so please keep that in mind. I know how this story ends & although I know I can't please everyone, I do hope you'll enjoy it all the same. **

"You gotta promise you won't say anything to Rach." Finn leans forward in his chair, the back legs lifting off the patio bricks. Puck takes a quick swig of his beer, nodding obediently.

"She wants to set you up with her best friend, Santana." Puck practically chokes as the words come out of Finn's mouth.

"What?" He manages to say. Setting his beer on the ground next to his chair, he leans forward, cocking his head to the side, as if he was sure he heard Finn wrong.

"You know that crazy Latina friend of hers I was telling you about? She thinks you two would be perfect together." Finn laughs. Leaning back in his chair, Finn takes another sip of his beer.

"You've gotta be kidding?" Pucks eyes are wide. He's never met Santana, but he's heard Rachel talk about her quite a bit. Truthfully, all he can remember is that she is loud, opinionated and was Rachel's roommate in college.

"Nope." Finn swallows the last bit of beer in his bottle, tossing it on the ground in front of him, as Puck shakes his head. Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he checks to see he has only one missed call, not from Rachel but from work. He ignores it, it's Friday evening after all. The first weekend he's had off in…well longer than he can remember.

"Well I can't fucking believe you haven't been called into work yet." Puck nods his head towards Finn's cell phone.

"Oh they've called once, not sure if it was to come in, but I told them when I left today not to bother me at all this weekend. I promised Rachel I wasn't going in no matter what and I would be offline for the entire weekend." Finn smiles. Puck swallows thickly, realization setting in that he probably wouldn't be seeing Rachel all weekend.

ii.

"I can't believe you fell for this." Finn whispers through clenched teeth in Puck's ear as they enter the restaurant.

"Shit, me either." Puck half-whispers in return. He hadn't been able to resist Rachel's big brown eyes when she pleaded with him to join her and Finn and Santana for dinner on Saturday night. He really wanted to say no, but deep down he knew this might be the only time he spent with Rachel for the next few days. _What the hell is wrong with me _was the only thing flashing through his mind.

"Over here guys." Rachel waves to Finn and Puck. She and Santana are already at their table, waiting patiently for the men to follow.

"We're gonna go to the bar and get a drink." Finn calls to her as Puck follows him to the bar.

"That Puckerman's got one fine ass." Santana smirks, taking a seat next to Rachel, eying Puck from across the room. Rachel is surprised at her own reaction, her head snapping up, her eyes locked on Santana.

"Um, wow, I hadn't noticed." Rachel felt her face get warmer.

"Oh come on Berry. You're married, not dead." Santana deadpans. "I'm just wondering why you haven't introduced me to this Jewish God sooner."

Rachel's not sure how to even respond to Santana. The heat rises in her face, the air getting warmer around her. She shifts in her seat uncomfortably, turning away from her friend, craning her neck to see Finn and Puck walking towards the table, drinks in hand. She pulls nervously on a strand of hair.

"So Puck." Santana exhales a bit too loudly. "Rachel tells me you're an automobile import engineer?"

Puck looks at Santana then to Rachel, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"If that means I fix expensive cars, then yeah." He frowns.

"Oh." Santana's smile disappears from her mouth. "A mechanic." Rachel senses that her friend seems disappointed.

"He also writes music." Rachel interjects. "And plays the guitar." Santana perks up.

"He likes the Godfather movies, hates egg rolls, has one younger sister, prefers beer over water, has never been ice skating, and loves his mom dearly." Rachel barely takes a breath as the words come pouring out of her mouth. Everyone is silent, watching her intently. Puck pretends to wipe his mouth with his napkin to hide the smirk on his face.

"Geez Rach, how do you know so much about him?" Santana's eyebrows wiggle in delight.

"We, um…uh, he's my neighbor and uh, well we have dinner together sometimes." Rachel fumbles for the words. She wipes her clammy hands across her skirt, barely catching the look Finn gives her. His mouth is slightly agape, a baffled look on his face. Her eyes dart over to Santana, a pleading look on her face. She silently hopes someone will change the subject.

"So beer over water, huh?" Santana raises her beer bottle, tipping it ever so slightly in Puck's direction. He lifts his, clinking his bottle against hers. "I like that."

Rachel watches Santana lean closer to Puck, whispering in his ear, laughing after every few words. She really should have known better. As long as Rachel has known her, Santana has always been a flirt, never as reserved as Rachel. And tonight was no exception.

"Well that didn't take long." Finn leans close to Rachel, his head pressed against hers as he whispers in her ear. Rachel stares straight ahead, a slight frown plastered on her face, as she watches Santana run her red fingernail down Puck's arm. Puck shivers with delight at the contact, his eyes resting on Rachel, not the brunette next to him. Their eyes meet just as Finn presses a kiss to Rachel's cheek, his vibrating phone in hand.

"I know I promised I wouldn't take any calls, but Steve has texted me three times, so I better find out what's going on." Finn excuses himself from the table, causing Rachel to finally break eye contact with Puck. She nods clumsily, unsure of what's come over her, why it bothers to her to see Santana so cozy with Puck. She is the one who suggested they meet, after all. She was so sure Santana would be a good match for Puck. The two seemed to be hitting it off, enjoying each other's company, yet Rachel couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to rip Santana's fake fingernails off. She had run them up and down Puck's arm more times than Rachel could count. And her laugh. She laughed at everything Puck said as if it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. Usually when Santana pulls out her bag of tricks to snag a man, Rachel simply rolls her eyes and watches the performance, but tonight was different. She is thoroughly disgusted as she watches her friend place her hand on Puck's knee and stroke it gently.

"Sorry about that." Finn has returned, his cell phone tucked away in his pocket. Taking his seat, he reaches over to grab Rachel's hand from the table. Pulling it into this lap, he leans closer to her. "I promise I won't answer it again."

She smiles sweetly, kissing him gently on the lips. She wants to go home, to just get up and leave.

"What are you getting, Rachel?" Santana finally asks. Rachel is startled by actually hearing her speak instead of laugh.

"Oh, um, probably just a salad."

"A salad? Again?" Santana's eyes are wide in feigned shock. She chuckles before speaking again. "That's what you always get. You need to live a little. Shake it up a bit and order something different."

"Yeah, live dangerously, Rachel." Puck smirks. Rachel's almost sure she sees him wink, but she can't be certain.

"Stop teasing her." Finn scolds playfully. "You both know she's a creature of habit. If she changes anything it will send her into a tailspin."

Rachel watches as her husband and two friends exchange looks, laughing at her expense. Sure, everyone knows she doesn't like change, but they are making it sound like she is OCD. She feels the anger rising up in her throat as the waiter returns to take their order.

"I'll have the prime rib medium well with a baked potato and green beans." Rachel blurts out. Everyone immediately stops talking, turning to look at Rachel in astonishment.

"But Rach, you don't eat beef." Finn whispers, his eyes darting back and forth, searching her face for answers.

_How's that for living dangerously?_ She smirks rather devilishly as the words swirl in her head.

**Jealous Rachel AND she fell off the vegan wagon? I know what you're thinking…how could I? Stay tuned…and reviews are always greatly appreciated. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love I've gotten for this fic. You don't know how much I appreciate it. As usual, I don't own Glee or the characters and I'm certainly not condoning extra marital affairs. But let me say it's about to get hot up in here. Avert your eyes if you can't handle this sort of stuff. Enjoy!**

He watches her swing lazily in the hammock, sunglasses shielding her eyes from the sun. Her hair is pulled up tight in a ponytail, a glass of water on the ground next to her. Her little white dog is napping in the shade under her.

"You feeling better today?" Puck finally asks. He's sitting across from her in a chaise lounge chair.

"Who knew just one bite of beef would make me feel so bad?" He could tell her eyes were still closed beneath the sunglasses.

"I still can't believe you actually took a bite." Puck laughed. "I really thought you were bluffing when you ordered that prime rib."

She raises her sunglasses onto her forehead, shielding her eyes from the sun with her free hand. "Rachel Hudson never bluffs."

"Noted." Puck leans back in his chair, watching Rachel place her sunglasses back over her eyes. Several pieces of hair are plastered with sweat against her forehead and he honestly thinks it's one of the sexiest things he's ever seen. Before too long his eyes are drooping, her sweaty forehead still prominent in his mind.

"_What are you doing?"Rachel squirms in the hammock as Puck straddles her gently, using his legs to hold himself up, the glass of water firm in his hand. He dips one finger in the cold water and runs his wet finger down her right arm until he reaches her wrist. Rachel shivers as he places his finger back in the glass again and repeats the same process down her left arm. She opens her mouth, inviting his finger inside. He feels his erection growing harder as she licks the last of the cold water from his finger._

"_I thought maybe you needed to cool off." He pants. "It's really hot out here."_

"_You're right, it is hot out here." Rachel playfully pulls her sundress up, revealing a little more of her thigh as well as her white lacy panties. Puck runs the tip of his finger up her thigh, stopping momentarily at the edge of the lace on her panties. He runs his fingers across the smooth material. Rachel groans, tracing her finger over his knee towards his crotch. He can feel his erection trying to burst through his shorts and he's thankful he decided to go commando today._

_Puck rubs two of his fingers over her clit, savoring the low growl that escapes from Rachel, her hips bucking up in response. He continues to tease her like this, until she retaliates by sitting forward just a bit, snaking her right hand up through the bottom of his shorts Taking his left ball in her hand, she rolls it around in her hand gently before moving upwards to his rock hard erection. She runs her hand eagerly up and down his shaft as he forcefully moves her panties to the side, thrusting two fingers inside. Her sheer amount of wetness makes him want to explode._

_Rachel frees her hand, fumbling with Puck's zipper. He doesn't want to release his fingers, but he knows he has to in order to free himself from his shorts. Reluctantly he stands up, swinging one leg over Rachel and kicking his shorts off as quickly as he can. His penis springs free, Rachel gasping in delight. Before Puck can sit back on the hammock, Rachel leans forward, swallowing his erection practically whole. He's pretty sure the tip just touched the back of her throat and he's positive he's never felt something so good. His eyes practically roll back in his head as he puts his hand on the back of head while she takes him in over and over, her tongue darting all over the place. He's afraid he's going to come and he's not ready for this to end just yet._

_Puck backs away, pushing Rachel back so she is lying on the hammock. He hooks his finger in the edge of her panties, pulling them off slowly, even though he would prefer to just rip them off. He tosses them on the ground before straddling her yet again, rubbing the tip of his penis along her clit. She bucks her hips, a wicked laugh escaping her lips._

_He can't hold back any longer, easing inside of her, her warmth surrounding him. Rachel wraps her legs awkwardly around his, meeting his every thrust. Puck groans in pleasure as he pushes deeper into her; the hammock swaying clumsily under them. Just as he's about to succumb, Rachel groans in ecstasy, screaming his name over and over in pleasure until he finally spills himself inside of her._

"Noah!" Rachel is standing over him, her sunglasses in hand. Puck looks around in confusion, his eyes barely open. He sits up straighter, quickly noticing the ache from his growing erection that has popped up in his shorts. He covers it awkwardly with his arm, hoping Rachel hasn't noticed.

"You must've fallen asleep." She giggles. His mind is racing, his dream still so fresh.

"Sorry, the warm sun has that affect on me." He smiles at her.

"I have something that will beat the heat." _A cold shower together? _Puck wonders. Rachel reaches out her hand to him. He takes it reluctantly, pulling himself from the chair. Thankfully his erection is shrinking.

"Where are we going?" Puck asks; his hand still in hers as he follows her across the back deck to the sliding doors. "I thought you had errands to run."

"They can wait." She opens the sliding door, ushering him in. "How about some frozen yogurt?"

Rachel directs him to a bar stool and he watches her take two bowls out of a cabinet, followed by two spoons from a drawer. She rummages through a separate drawer, before finally producing an ice cream scoop. She digs through the freezer, placing a carton of frozen yogurt on the counter next to the bowls. Scooping out some of the frozen strawberry treat, she pushes a bowl towards Puck, and then fills a bowl for herself. He doesn't even care for strawberries, but he doesn't dare tell Rachel that. Instead, he scarfs the frozen yogurt down as if it's the best thing he's ever eaten.

He eyes an acoustic guitar in the corner of the living room before Rachel is finished eating. It is leaning against the corner of a wall, behind a small piano.

"I didn't know you play the guitar." Puck walks over to it, picking it up and running his fingers along the neck.

"Oh I don't." Rachel swallows quickly. "Finn's mom gave that to him for Christmas one year. He wanted to learn to play, but never really had time to."

Puck strums a few notes on the guitar. He can tell it hasn't been played it quite some time.

"So when do I get to hear that song you've been working on?" Rachel asks, jumping off the stool and joining Puck in the living room. Puck strums a few more notes before picking up the pace, a smirk on his face.

"_Hey where did we go? Days when the rains came. Down in the hollow. Playin' a new game" _He sings._ "Laughin' and a-runnin', hey, hey. Skippin' and a-jumpin'. In the misty mornin' fog. With our, our hearts a-thumpin'. And you, my brown eyed girl. You my brown eyed girl."_

Rachel laughs as Puck continues singing, his fingers gliding along the guitar.

"_And whatever happened. To Tuesday and so slow. Going down the old mine. With a transistor radio. Standin' in the sunlight laughin'. Hidin' behind a rainbow's wall. Slippin' and slidin'. All along the waterfall. With you, my brown eyed girl. You my brown eyed girl._"

Rachel can't help but join in, both of them singing together. She's standing so close to him he can feel the fabric of her sundress on his arm. She drapes her arm over his shoulder, swaying softly to the music, as they continue to sing.

"_Do you remember when we used to sing? Sha la la, la la, la la, la la, l-la te da. Just like that. Sha la la, la la, la la, la la, l-la te da. La te da."_

"_So hard to find my way now that I'm all on my own. I saw you just the other day. My, how you have grown. Cast my memory back there Lord. Sometimes I'm overcome thinkin' bout it. Makin' love in the green grass behind the stadium. With you, my brown eyed girl. You my brown eyed girl."_

"_Do you remember when we used to sing? Sha la la, la la, la la, la la, l-la te da. Just like that. Sha la la, la la, la la, la la, l-la te da. La te da."_

"Hey, what's going on?" Puck and Rachel both stop singing, seemingly lost in their own world as Finn stands in the kitchen, his work satchel in one hand, a necktie in the other. Rachel pulls her arm away from Puck, twirling a strand of hair nervously as Puck places the guitar clumsily back in the corner.

"We were, um, just singing." Rachel whispers.

"I better go." Puck nods his head toward the front door, walking quickly from the room, the front door shutting loudly behind him.

Rachel doesn't say a word as she collects the empty bowls from the counter, placing them in the dishwasher. She can feel Finn's glaring at her.

"You're home early." Rachel finally says, busying her hands by folding a dish towel.

"I wasn't expecting to come home to a concert." His tone is curt. "You won't even sing for me anymore, Rachel."

"That's not true." She watches a hummingbird fluttering outside the kitchen window. "I just haven't had the motivation to sing for quite some time."

She was sorry the words came out the moment they left her lips. Her face cringes before Finn even responds.

"And now you do?" She hears the faint click of his dress shoes as he walks away.

**Wow! I know it was only a dream, but I thought it was about time something steamy happened to them. And no, the song they sing is not the one Puck is writing, but just something he thought was cute to sing to her…Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison, which is why Rachel knows the words too. And you haven't seen the last of Santana yet…**


	5. Chapter 5

**As always, I appreciate the wonderful feedback you guys have given me. It makes me enjoy writing even more. Summer is a busy time for me, so I apologize for the sporadic updates. Enjoy!**

"You haven't called me or texted me in a week, so what's going on?" Santana is standing on Rachel's front porch, her arm resting in the archway of the door. Rachel sighed quietly, opening the door wider to let Santana in.

"Sorry, I've been busy." Rachel snapped. She can't remember the last time she's been so curt with her friend.

"Really? How can someone who doesn't have a job or any kids be so busy?" Santana shut the door behind her. She crossed the room, leaving Rachel in the foyer, and taking a seat in the living room. Rachel reluctantly followed her, the sting of her friend's words fresh in her head.

"If you're looking for Noah, I'm sure he's at work." Rachel rolls her eyes as she takes a seat across from the Latina. Santana looked as if she was about to say something, instead turning her snarl into a wicked grin.

"So that's what this is about?" Santana raises an eyebrow. "I think someone is jealous."

"What?" Rachel put on her best shocked face. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it now?" Santana still had the smirk on her face and Rachel didn't like it one bit. "I think you're jealous because Puck and I hit it off."

"That is preposterous." Rachel shook her head.

"I don't even know what the hell that means." Santana was confused.

"It means you're crazy, Santana." Rachel tugs on a strand of hair, twirling it several times between her fingers.

"Then why are you twirling your hair?" Santana was having too much fun with this. "You only do that when you're uncomfortable."

"I do not!" Rachel squealed, pulling her hand from her hair and purposely placing both hands on her lap.

"Then you won't mind that Puck and I went out the other night for drinks at The Rail." Santana's eyes light up as she sees Rachel reach for another strand of hair, the smirk turning into a grin as she watches her twirl it feverishly. "And we had the most mind-blowing sex afterwards."

"I don't want to hear this." Rachel averts her eyes, looking away from Santana.

"I mean he fucked me so hard I couldn't walk the next day." Santana continues to gush, ignoring Rachel's plea.

"You're disgusting Santana." Rachel stands up, walking to the front door as Santana continues her tirade.

"Sorry, but the man has an enormous dick. I haven't had an orgasm that good in…well, shit I can't remember…"

"Out." Rachel opens the front door, tapping her foot nervously.

"Wait, why?" Santana joins her at the front door. "I'm just playing with you Berry."

"No you weren't." Rachel looks her dead in the eyes, a frown on her face.

"I swear." Santana pleads, holding her hands up as if she's surrendering. "I didn't really go out with Puck the other night; I was just messing with you."

"Why would you do that?" Rachel is losing patience with her friend. She's known Santana to do some mean things, but it's usually to other people, not her.

"Look, I got his number after we went to dinner the other night, so I called him earlier this week to see if he wanted to go out, but he turned me down. At first I thought he might be gay. I mean you know how all the hottest guys are, right?" Rachel laughed despite her growing irritation. "But then I realized that this dude is crazy, hot for you. He couldn't stop talking about you. It really kind of creeped me out, to tell you the truth."

"Me?" Rachel touches her cheek, feeling the warmth of her face on her fingers, a smile wide across her mouth.

"Yeah you." Santana rolls her eyes. "I'm single and can't get none, but you're married and have them falling all over you. I don't get it either."

"Oh God, Finn." Rachel's fingers flew to cover her mouth as she spoke. She was so consumed in listening to Santana that she completely forgot about Finn.

"Hey, whoa. Is something going on between you and Puck?" Santana's eyes dart across the street to Puck's house before she closes the front door again.

"No. Oh God no." Rachel shook her head furiously. "I think Finn thinks there is."

"Shit, what have I missed over the last week?" Santana grabs Rachel's arm, pulling her into the kitchen.

Rachel momentarily forgets her anger with Santana and launches into the story, telling her how Finn came home early to find Puck and Rachel not only singing together, but in very close proximity. Things had been different between them ever since. Finn hadn't spoken of the incident since it happened, but Rachel had noticed he acted more coolly towards her. Puck had done his best to avoid both of them, Finn especially, having come over to Rachel's just once on the pretense of borrowing sugar.

"Damn. This is like some Real Housewives of New Jersey shit." Santana laughed. Rachel chuckled nervously in response, knowing she had left out the most important part of the story. The part she couldn't quite explain to anyone. While she did love Finn, she felt a certain connection to Puck that she just couldn't shake. He was fun to be around, great to talk to, and certainly easy on the eyes. All the qualities she had once found so endearing in Finn.

"It's not like that at all." Rachel shook her head. "I'm married."

"Yeah I know, you're such a saint." Santana gave her a wicked grin. "It's a good thing my evil balances us out."

"I really have to get going; I have an appointment this afternoon." Rachel ushered Santana back to the front door.

"Wait, what? You didn't say anything about an appointment." Santana stammered as Rachel hugged her quickly, gently pushing her out the door.

"I promise I'll call you tomorrow." Rachel called to her. The audible sound of a thunderous muffler roaring outside caught Santana's attention. She walked slowly to her car as Puck's Mustang came into sight. Santana waved a bit too seductively at Puck as she slid her long legs into her car.

"Damn her." Santana muttered to herself. "She knew he was coming home."

Rachel peered through the front window, watching Puck wave at Santana as she drove away before he looked over to her house. He stared for a few seconds, seemingly lost in thought, before grabbing two grocery bags from his car. Rachel wasn't sure what came over her, but she burst through the front door, hoping to talk to Puck before he disappeared inside his house. She half-ran, half-walked to the end of her driveway, pretending she was checking the mail, which she had already collected earlier.

"Hey." Puck called out across the street. Rachel turned her head to see him walking towards her.

"Hi." Rachel waved, trying to appear as though she just noticed him.

"I saw Santana leaving." Puck said, stopping just short of her driveway. Rachel nodded, turning to walk back towards her house. She hoped he would follow, but he stood frozen in place, as if he wouldn't dare take another step.

"Yeah, she was a little mad that I haven't called her over the last week." Rachel stopped and turned back to face him. "You can come in if you want."

She watched Puck glance at her house and then back to her.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea." His eyes fell to the ground, a small frown on his face. A lump seemed to form in Rachel's throat. She swallowed thickly, but it was no use, the lump seemed stuck. She walked back towards him, squinty against the hot sun shining overhead.

"I want you to come in." She still felt like she was under some spell, one that made her seem so confident and bold.

Puck followed her inside silently, taking a seat at the kitchen counter as Rachel poured them both a glass of iced tea. She offered him a glass, as she quietly sipped on her own.

"I can't stay long." Puck stammered. "Plus I really don't want Finn catching me here."

"Why do you care what Finn thinks?" Rachel's eyes were wide in shock as the words came spilling out. She wondered who this person was and what had happened to her usual self. Puck even seemed confused by the newfound change in her.

"He's your husband, Rachel." Puck sighed loudly.

"Why won't you tell me how you really feel about me?" Rachel knew it was her heart talking, not her head. Her head was screaming at her to shut her mouth, instead of making things worse. But her heart was ignoring the protest.

"Wait, what?" Puck's face was drained of any color. He fumbled for the right words, licking his dry lips.

"I want you to be honest with me about your feelings." Rachel leaned closer over the kitchen bar, her deep brown eyes fixated on his.

"I'm not sure you're ready to hear this." His eyes were strained, his head swarming with a million thoughts.

**Uh oh, you think Puck will tell her the truth and possibly ruin her marriage or even possibly their friendship **_**or**_** do you think he'll take the cowards way out and not tell her? Despite how evil Santana can be, I think her telling Rachel about her conversation with Puck brought about a change in Rachel. Let me know what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**My apologies for taking so long to post a new chapter. My life has been so hectic lately, but I can't put my faithful readers off any longer. Enjoy!**

"I really care about you, Rachel." Puck held his breath for a few seconds, waiting for the words to sink in. "I probably care about you more than I should." He fiddled with his fingers nervously, avoiding eye contact with her. He was so nervous the blood was rushing to his head, the roaring loud in his ears.

"You're different than other girls. I've never met anyone like you." He briefly caught a flit of movement out of the corner of his eye, but ignored it, choosing to pour out his heart instead. "I honestly don't expect you to feel the same"

He waited a few seconds before looking up to see Rachel pacing the floor, cell phone glued to her ear. He wondered how long she had been on the phone. He didn't remember it ringing or her even picking it up, though he couldn't be certain since he had basically tuned the world out while telling her how he felt. She chewed on her nails nervously, responding to whoever she was talking to in quick, short breaths. He watched her end the call, turning to him with tears streaming down her face.

"It's my dad, he's had a stroke." She barely got the words out before collapsing into a fit of sobs. Rushing to her side, Puck wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She buried her face into his shirt, crying louder than before. He had never met her fathers before, only knowing that she was the only daughter of two gay men, who lived in Ohio. Rachel talked about them often, but had rarely seen them over the last six months or so due to conflicting schedules.

"Daddy says he's at Lima Memorial." She continued to cry, even as she spoke. "I've gotta get to Ohio."

Rachel broke from Puck's hold, spinning in circles as she darted from the living room back to the kitchen. She mumbled incoherently as she did. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he placed her on the seat he had just vacated.

"It's gonna be ok." Puck hated to see her like this. "You go upstairs and start packing; I'll call the airport for you and make a reservation."

Rachel nodded numbly, wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt. She slipped off the stool, shuffling her feet as she trudged through the front hall to the stairs. Puck watched her disappear around the banister of the stairs then pulled out his cell phone, punching in the number to 411 immediately.

She reappeared a few minutes later, carrying a small suitcase and equally small carry-on, her eyes still red and puffy, clutching her cell phone tightly.

"You're all set. I booked you a flight that leaves at 7:15 tonight." He felt a twinge of guilt knowing he really couldn't afford that plane ticket, but he knew she was in no shape to handle the arrangements herself.

"I called Finn." She began to sob again. "He's in the middle of a meeting and has to fly out to Seattle tomorrow, so he can't go with me."

"You can't go by yourself?" Puck asked.

"Maybe Santana can go." Rachel sniffed, wiping her eyes once again on her shirt.

"I'll go with you." He blurted it out as soon as the thought crossed his mind. "I can call into work and tell them a family emergency came up."

"You'd do that for me?" She stopped crying long enough to look at him, her eyes wet with tears.

"Yeah I would." He said so softly he almost couldn't hear himself speak. "Let me go grab some clothes and I'll call and see if I can get a ticket too."

Racing back across the street, Puck entered his home long enough to throw some clothes into a duffel bag and leave a message for his boss. He gritted his teeth as he waited on hold while some obnoxious airline employee checked Rachel's flight for an available seat. He silently wondered if he'd have a job when he returned or any money left in his bank account.

Rachel was waiting in his driveway, standing next to his Mustang, when he reappeared from his house. He tossed the duffel bag over the driver's seat before sliding in, Rachel following suit. Her crying had subsided though her nose and eyes were still read and inflamed. Puck remained silent on the ride to the airport, occasionally thinking back to all the things he had said to Rachel earlier. He finally had the balls to tell her how he feels and she didn't even get a chance to hear him out.

They both nodded off while on the plane, Puck having gotten an aisle seat two rows behind Rachel. Neither had spoken more than a few words while waiting to board their flight. She had called her dad twice since they had left their homes to update him on their arrival and to check on her father and Finn once, Puck noting she failed to mention he was traveling with her.

It was almost midnight when they arrived at Rachel's childhood home. Rachel slipped her key in the lock, turning it slowly. The house was pitch black, her father staying overnight at the hospital. She had wanted to go straight to see her dad, however her father convinced her to wait until the next day. Fumbling with the lights, she switched on the front hall lights.

"My dad's turned the third bedroom into an office, so we only have two bedrooms. You can stay in my old room and I'll sleep in my parent's room." Rachel said, ushering Puck upstairs.

He followed her to a front bedroom that revealed a menagerie of Broadway posters adorning the walls and stuffed animals lying on the bed. It was clear her fathers had not changed her room at all since Rachel had moved out. There were several pictures affixed to a large mirror of Rachel with whom Puck assumed were high school friends, as well as a handful of her and Finn. Rachel smiled meekly when she caught him staring at them.

"They had a hard time with me moving out and going to college." She nodded her head at the stuffed animals adorning her bed.

"You're their only little girl, I get it." Puck smiled, setting his duffel bag down on the floor. He waited for her to say more but she didn't. She glanced around the room as if she hadn't seen it in a very long time.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed." She finally said. "I want to get up early and go see my dad."

"Wake me up and I'll go with you." Puck offered. Rachel nodded shyly, slipping out the bedroom door before he had a chance to say goodnight.

Puck shut the door, stripped down to his boxers and crawled into Rachel's poster bed. He was exhausted. The day had been so emotional for both he and Rachel, for two very different reasons. His eyes fluttered shut as he waited for sleep to take over his body. He was barely coherent when he heard three soft knocks. Thinking he was dreaming, he ignored it, instead throwing his arm above his head in order to get more comfortable.

"Noah, are you asleep?" The door squeaked open.

"I was working on it." He grumbled softly. Propping himself up on his elbows, he could just make out Rachel's silhouette in the doorway. She tiptoed over to the bed, sitting gently on the edge.

"I just realized I hadn't even thanked you for coming out here with me." Her voice was shaky.

"S'ok." He hated to see her cry and he could tell she was trying not to.

"I'm trying to be strong." Rachel sniffled a few times. Puck sat up, reaching his arm out to hers, rubbing it gently.

"Hey, don't cry." He caressed her arm a little harder, giving it a quick squeeze. "Your dad's gonna be ok."

"I hope so." She leaned into his arm just a bit. "Daddy said he can't talk and his left side is completely paralyzed. They are worried about lack of brain activity."

"They have good doctors there." Puck tried to reassure her, but the tears continued to fall.

"I know." She sobbed. "I just can't imagine him not full of life, lying there like a vegetable. It breaks my heart."

Puck couldn't stand to hear her cry any longer. Pulling her closer, he brushed his lips against hers. His brain was screaming for him to stop, but his heart just kept pushing him to do it. Her lips were soft, the taste of salty tears fresh. He expected her to pull away, but she didn't. Instead she wrapped her arms around his shirtless torso as if she were hanging on for dear life. She pressed her lips harder against his, her heart beating faster as she did. Puck didn't want to stop kissing her, even if he knew they'd both need air soon. His right hand was tangled in her hair when she finally pulled away, her eyes wide in shock.

"I..um, sorry." She stumbled over her words, backing off the bed slowly.

She fled from the room before he could tell her she had nothing to be sorry about. He wanted to kiss her; he had wanted to kiss her for months. Falling back on the bed, Puck sighed loudly in frustration, the taste of her lips still lingering on his.

**Gotta say, I love Puck's sweet side. Let me know what you think! All reviews are appreciated, I promise!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the chapter I think so many of you have been waiting for! I really hope I could do it justice. Enjoy…**

Rachel stood silently by her father's bed, her face slightly contorted as she counted the tubes that were connected to his frail body. A thin blanket covered him from just under his arms. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and make everything better, but she knew that wasn't possible.

Pulling a chair closer to the bed, she grabbed his hand, sitting down on the edge of the chair. Rachel patted his hand several times, again trying to hold back her tears.

"Hi dad, it's Rachel." She placed his hand on her knee, covering it tightly with her own. "Daddy went down to get breakfast."

"Daddy says they're monitoring your brain activity to make sure there's no damage." A single tear fell from her left eye. "I know how strong you are."

"I brought a book." She reached down and rummaged through her bag on the floor, producing a small hardback book. She waved it in the air. "I could read to you if you'd like."

"Or I know." She was excited like a small child. "I could sing to you. I know how much you love it when we sing together."

Rachel cleared her throat and tried desperately to block out the incessant beeping from the machine monitoring his heartbeat. She had never seen her father look so delicate. Racking her brain for a song to sing, she finally remembered the last song she heard on the radio just a few days prior.

_Heartbeats fast_

_Colors and promises_

_How to be brave_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall_

_But watching you stand alone_

_All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I love you for a thousand more_

She didn't hear Puck walk into the room, coffee in hand. He stood silently behind her, taking in every word she sang.

_Time stand stills_

_Beauty in all she is_

_I will be brave_

_I will not let anything take me away_

_What's standing in front of me_

_Every breath_

_Every hour has come to this_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed I would find you_

He watched her squeeze her father's hand, fighting the urge to pull her into his arms. Things had been equally awkward between them that morning, neither speaking of the previous night's kiss. He wanted to, but truthfully he had never seen Rachel so vulnerable.

_Time has brought your heart to me_

_I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I love you for a thousand-_

Rachel was looking right at Puck, her eyes narrowed. She stopped singing, wondering just when he had come in the room. She blushed slightly before looking away as he handed her a cup of coffee.

"Why'd you stop singing?" He found a vacant chair across the room to sit in. Taking a long sip of coffee, he watched her swirl hers around in the cup.

"I forgot the rest of the words." She lied. She didn't want to admit her heart was still racing after their passionate kiss the night before.

"Has the doctor been in yet?" Puck asked, setting his coffee cup on the floor next to him. He watched her smooth her hand along her father's.

"No, not yet." Rachel stared at her father. His dark skin was paler than usual, dark circles forming under his eyes. He had always seemed so tall to her, but for some reason he seemed smaller lying so helpless in the bed. Both she and Puck were silent for several minutes, the air in the room getting heavier by the second.

"Can we please deal with the gigantic elephant in the room?" Puck sighed loudly, leaning back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head.

"What are you talking about?" Rachel put on her best shocked expression, trying desperately to hone in on the acting classes she had taken in college.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." He sat the chair back on the floor, leaning forward on his knees. Rachel lowered her head, a slight blush creeping across her cheeks, before narrowing her eyes at Puck.

"I don't think now's a good time to discuss this." She whispered, looking back to her father and then again to Puck quickly. Puck was frowning, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Just when is a good time, Rachel?" He stood up. "You certainly didn't stick around to discuss it last night and I guess this morning was a bad time too, huh?"

Rachel had never seen him this upset before. She watched him pace the floor. Letting go of her father's hand, she twirled in her seat to face Puck.

"My dad doesn't need to hear this." Her voice was shaky and low, but persistent.

"Well I do." He practically begged. Rachel shook her head, rising from her chair. She took Puck's hand, pulling him out into the hallway.

"Look, my father may not be able to speak, but he can most certainly hear what's going on around him." She said, firmly.

"I'm sorry." Puck's eyes softened. "I just think we need to talk about what happened."

"Yes we do." Rachel nodded her head. "Just not here. I need to focus on my dad right now."

"You're right." Puck's shoulders sagged in defeat. He felt like kicking himself. He was being such an ass, even though he knew Rachel needed him more than ever now. Digging in his pocket, he fished out the set of keys to their rental car, handing them off to her. "I'm gonna just take a cab back to your parent's place if that's ok."

"Yeah, sure." Rachel tried not to sound disappointed. She really did want him to stay, despite her displeasure at talking about their kiss.

"Call me if you need anything." Puck smiled, though Rachel wondered if it was forced. She watched him disappear around the nurse's station. Sighing loudly, she whirled around to re-enter her father's room and ran smack into her daddy.

"What's going on angel?" He asked, eyebrows raised just slightly.

"Oh, um, nothing daddy." Rachel staggered backwards. "That was my friend, Noah. You know, he lives across the street from Finn and I."

"Ah yes." Her daddy replied. "I hadn't realized he was accompanying you on this trip."

"Finn couldn't make it and I was really apprehensive flying alone." Rachel caught herself twirling her hair feverishly.

"Well that was very kind of him to fly out here with you." Rachel was almost sure he winked at her, but he turned so quickly she couldn't be positive. She watched him walk back into her father's hospital room, a feeling of dread washing over her.

It was just before dusk when Rachel finally forced herself to leave the hospital, her daddy promising to come home soon after. She hadn't heard from Puck after he left and despite her urge to call him, she resisted. She found him sitting on the couch, the television on, when she returned. He looked weary, almost as weary as Rachel felt she must look.

"Hi." She called out, closing the front door behind her.

"Hey." He glanced up from the television briefly, as she took a seat next to him.

"Did you eat dinner?" Rachel asked.

"No, I thought I should wait for you." Puck clicked the controller, turning the television off.

"Let's go get something to eat." She stood, glancing briefly at her reflection in a mirror that hung in the front entryway. There were bags under her eyes, the stress of the last 24 hours obviously taking its toll on her. Before she could even get to the car, her cell phone was ringing. She answered with hesitation or glancing at the screen.

"Hello?" She followed Puck to their rental car.

"Hey." It was Finn. "I just got into Seattle. Thought I'd call and see how your dad is doing?"

"Oh hey." Rachel lowered her voice. "He's stable. Still not verbally responding to us, but the doctors told us not to be discouraged."

"I guess that's good news." His tone seemed a bit friendlier. It had been weeks since they had a normal conversation, nothing more than a few words in passing. She held her breath, knowing she should tell Finn that Puck had some to Ohio with her, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"I was hoping for more improvement, but I guess I'll have to be a bit more patient." She sighed, staring blankly at the road ahead as Puck maneuvered through downtown Lima.

"I should be finished with my presentation tomorrow afternoon, so I'm going to see if I can get a layover closer to you. That way I can stop by the hospital for a visit."

"No." She realized she said that a bit too quickly. "I mean, you don't have to. It's just a lot of sitting, nothing else we can really do at this point."

"Are you sure?" He asked. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Puck glance at her quickly, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Yeah." The guilt was killing her. "I'll probably be home in a few days anyways."

"Well give your dads my best and please be careful." Finn said. "I love you."

"Ok, you too." It was all she could muster up the courage to say; quickly hanging up as Puck pulled into her favorite Italian restaurant's parking lot. He parked the car, turning off the ignition, but stayed put in the driver's seat.

"Finn?" He didn't even really need to ask. Rachel nodded her head in response, staring straight out the front windshield.

"I couldn't even make myself tell him you came with me." Rachel frowned. "What does that say about me?"

"Stop beating yourself up." Puck reassured her.

"I couldn't even tell him that I love him." Rachel's gaze turned to Puck, her eyes moist with tears. Puck started to speak, but instead leaned forward. Wrapping his hand around the back of Rachel's neck, he brought his lips to her head, planting them on her forehead and let them linger.

"You're not a bad person, Rachel." Puck murmured into the top of her head. She nestled her head into his chest, quietly sobbing.

"Then why do I feel so bad for falling in love with you, Noah?" She sniffled; her voice so low he barely heard her.

"What did you just say?" He pulled away from her, his eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"When you kissed me last night, I didn't want you to stop." She swallowed thickly, looking away. "In fact, I've wanted you to kiss me for so long. I tried so many times to push these feelings away, but I can't seem to."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Puck placed his forefinger under her chin, turning her head to face his.

"No matter what, I've never wanted to purposely hurt Finn." She said, softly. Her brown eyes still wet with tears. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"But it did." His response seemed almost apologetic.

"You're right, it did." She attempted a smile, though it seemed weak at best. Closing her eyes, Rachel held her breath as she waited for Puck to kiss her. It took him a few seconds to realize what she was doing. Pulling her closer, he pressed his lips hard against hers. Her lips were warm as his tongue parted them, darting in and out. The feeling of his tongue on hers sent a jolt of current through her veins. She ran her hand through his short hair haphazardly, both of them breathing harder as she did.

Rachel knew there was no going back this time.

**Aghh! So many ups and downs in this chapter, I know. They can't just run off into the sunset yet though…that would be too easy. Rachel needs to deal with Finn and oh yeah…Puck promised to let Rachel hear his song when he was finished with it ;) **


	8. Chapter 8

**My apologies for making you wait so long after that last intense chapter. I also forgot to credit the song Rachel sang…for those that didn't recognize it, it's **_**A Thousand Years**_** by Christina Perri. Just one more chapter left after this. I also always try to use songs that Glee hasn't covered before, but I just couldn't for Puck's song. Most of the time I get a song stuck in my head and a story springs forth…as is this case with this one. Enjoy!**

Dinner was quiet, much quieter than Rachel had anticipated. In her head, she pictured her and Puck holding hands, giggling while they ate and looking longingly into each other's eyes. In reality, Puck shoveled down his food nervously while she pushed hers around on her plate, her appetite slowly fading with each silent minute. She wondered if what had happened earlier in the car was a mistake.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a small man standing up on a very small stage. He was fumbling with a microphone, looking out in anticipation at the crowd of patrons in the restaurant. Rachel listened closely as he announced it was their first Open Mic night, rolling her eyes as he attempted to make some sort of lame joke. She watched Puck take a quick sip of his drink, darting his eyes anxiously at the stage.

"I've gotta use the bathroom." Before she could even respond, he jumped up out of his seat and disappeared around a partition separating a small part of the restaurant from the bar. The vibration of her cell phone on the table startled her. It was her daddy, wondering where she was. She typed a quick response before hitting send. She glanced up from her phone just in time to see Puck take a seat on a stool on the tiny stage, a guitar in hand. He strummed a few notes, clearing his throat as he did.

"Um, my name is Puck." He stammered, looking to the back of the restaurant instead of the people seated in front of him.

"I promised someone I would let them hear this song when I finished. She'll know why when she hears it." His gaze turned to Rachel, a smirk on his face. He winked quickly before looking down to the guitar. Rachel didn't even notice most of the people eating had turned to look at her.

_When I look into your eyes_

_It's like watching the night sky_

_Or a beautiful sunrise_

_Well there's so much they hold_

_And just like them old stars_

_I see that you've come so far_

_To be right where you are_

_How old is your soul?_

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

Rachel was in a trance, leaning forward on the table, her eyes locked on Puck as if he were the only person in the room. She ignored the waitress when she came back to ask if they wanted dessert, as well as her vibrating phone signaling a text message had arrived.

_And when you're needing your space_

_To do some navigating_

_I'll be here patiently waiting_

_To see what you find_

'_Cause even the stars they burn_

_Some even fall to the earth_

_We've got a lot to learn_

_God knows we're worth it_

_No, I won't give up_

"Rachel?" The familiar voice startled her. Whipping her head around, she could clearly see Finn standing next to her, his head swiveling up to see Puck singing on stage. Her stomach was rolling. Puck continued singing, a distraught look plastered on his face, as Finn stood firmly in front of Rachel. His tie was hanging loosely around his neck, his suit terribly wrinkled.

"Finn. What are you doing here?" She squeaked, glancing sheepishly at Puck from the corner of her eye.

"I should be asking you the same thing?"

"How did you know I was here?" Both of their tones were now becoming accusing. "I thought you were flying back home."

"Your dad told me." He crossed his arms, a sour spread across his face. "When I called you earlier I was already in Ohio. I was going to surprise you…"

"But I guess the surprise is on me." He scowled. There was a million things she wanted to say, but instead she let him storm out. She didn't try and stop him. Puck had long finished his song and was now standing next to her, his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, I'm…"

Rachel held her finger up to silence him. The tears were burning her eyes as she tried to hold them back.

"I've got to fix this." Grabbing her purse, she ran out of the restaurant, glancing back and forth around the parking lot, looking for Finn. He was gone.

Puck flipped his phone over and over in his hand. He was seated in a chair in Rachel's father's living room, scrunched down in the darkness of the room. She had disappeared from the restaurant two hours ago in search of Finn and he hadn't heard from her since. He had returned to her father's house, hoping she'd be there, but she wasn't. This was his first time in Lima, so he had no idea where to even begin looking for her. He heard the front door creak open, not bothering to even look up when she finally entered the room.

"I'm sorry I ran out earlier." He could only make out her silhouette standing in front of him.

"I get it." Was all he could say, still flipping the phone in his hand.

"No, you don't, Noah." Her tone was firm. "I just threw my marriage away."

"Why do I feel like you're blaming me?" He dropped the phone in his lap.

"I told Finn I couldn't love him the way a wife should anymore." She was crying. He hated to see her cry. Standing up, he pulled into his arms, pressing her into his chest and running a hand down the back of her head.

"So I guess he blames me?" Puck asked.

"No, I made it clear that had nothing to do with my decision." She whispered.

"Is this what you want, Rachel?" He murmured.

"I thought so, but why do I feel so heartbroken?" She continued to cry into his chest. Puck couldn't answer that. They had both confessed their feelings for each other, so this should be a happy time. Instead, Rachel was crying and Puck felt guilty.

"Maybe you need some time for you before you decide what you really want." Puck stroked her hair slowly.

"Wh-what?" Rachel sniffed, looking up into his eyes.

"I'm not turning my back on you Rachel." Puck was quick to sooth her. "I know this is hard for you. I'm gonna go back home. I have a job I need to get back to. You need to be here for your dads, plus it will give you the time you need to decide what you want."

"But I told you what I want." Rachel's eyes filled with tears once again.

"Looking at you right now, I can't be certain this is what you want." He leaned close, placing a kiss on her forehead. Releasing his hold on her, he walked through the foyer and out the front door.

Rachel collapsed in the chair Puck had just vacated, sobbing uncontrollably as she listened to the rental car back out of the driveway.

"But I did choose you." She cried out, hanging onto the hope that he could hear her. It was too late, he was gone.

**Ok, so please don't hate me. I really had planned on writing the Rachel/Finn break-up scene, but just couldn't do it. I needed Rachel to be emotionally raw when she came back to see Puck, but realized I didn't need to include that for you to see it. And Puck realizes that, so he's giving her the space she needs to heal. And yeah, it devastated her. Puck's song is **_**I Won't Give Up**_** by Jason Mraz, which I know they've covered, but it fit these two perfectly. The epilogue is coming **** Thank you to all who have read this, favorited this & reviewed it. It means so much to me! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Well, here it is. The epilogue to the story. I hope you've all enjoyed it and I can't thank you enough for the support! As you all know, I don't own Glee or the characters…just the idea of the story. Enjoy!**

_7 months later_

Puck leaned further under the hood, wiggling a wire. It was hot to the touch, so he glanced around spotting a dirty rag on the ground. Picking it up, he wiped his hands before ducking back under the hood. The sound of a door slamming made him peek around the car. At the end of his driveway a yellow cab was parked, a tiny brunette leaning into the passenger's window, paying the driver. She turned around, throwing a bag onto her shoulder, a broad smile on her face.

"Well, well, well." Puck finished wiping his greasy hands, tossing the rag over his shoulder. "What brings you to this part of town?"

"Someone told me I could find a great mechanic around here." Rachel winked. Puck let out a low whistle. Rachel's hair was a little longer than the last time he'd seen her, with just a touch of highlights. She was wearing heels which made her seem a little taller. And the skirt she wore made her waist seem tinier, if that was even possible.

Rachel dropped her bag, running and throwing herself into Puck's arms. He picked her up, spinning her around before she pushed herself out of his arms, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Eww, you're dirty."

"It's all in a hard day's work, doll." He laughed. "Not everyone can be a diva actress."

"I'll beg your pardon, it's just a little theater gig." Rachel scoffed.

"Yeah a little theater called the Westside." Puck raised an eyebrow. Though he rarely read the newspaper, he had seen the spectacular write up about her show.

"It's not Broadway." She frowned.

"Close enough." Puck pulled her in for another hug, but she pushed him away again.

"You should go clean up." Rachel smirked. "I'm famished."

"I guess that means we're going to dinner." He leaned back under the hood of his car quickly then closed it as quietly as he could. "Give me a minute to take a shower."

Rachel nodded, walking back to retrieve her bag. The for sale sign across the street caught her eye. It almost made her sad. This was the final loose end to tie up in her and Finn's divorce, but unfortunately they were having a difficult time selling it.

Dinner was a flurry of talk, each having so much to tell the other. Rachel gushed about her apartment in the city and how much Santana hated coming to visit her there. Puck didn't dare tell her he contacted Santana three times over the last seven months to find out how Rachel was doing. He had worried about her night and day since that dreadful day he had walked out of her father's house. But he had known the moment she came back from seeing Finn. Sure, she had just ended her marriage, but he knew she was torn between following her heart and doing the right thing.

He had picked up the phone so many times, willing himself to push the buttons and dial her number, but in the end his head always won, convincing him that she would find him when it was time. Or she would call him and tell him to move on. And here she was, in the flesh, more beautiful than he remembered.

"My divorce is final." Her tone turned more serious as she swallowed the last bite of her meal.

"Wow, that didn't take long." Puck wanted to smack himself the minute the words left his mouth. Rachel didn't seem offended.

"It's much faster if you don't have children." She pressed her lips together, waiting for Puck to say something, but he remained silent. "He got a transfer to Columbus." This was all information Puck had elicited from Santana, but he pretended it was his first time hearing it.

"I've seen the realtor at your house a couple of times this week." Puck said.

"Oh really?" She seems a little more excited. "That's great."

"I figured you'd be happy to hear that." He smiled. She nodded in agreement.

"Thank you." Rachel cocked her head to the side, smiling at Puck.

"For what? Dinner?" He asked. "It's really no big deal."

"No." She lowered her voice, not that any of the other patrons were even paying attention to them. "For giving me the space that I needed. It gave me a chance to see that Finn and I had both checked out of our marriage. He worked all the time and could never really give me the time our relationship needed."

"Was I just an excuse?" Puck raised his eyebrows, soaking in what she just said.

"No, no, no." Rachel shook her head. "I didn't mean it like that. I was tired of being alone. You came along and breathed new life into me."

"So it really is my fault you guys got a divorce?" Rachel thought his tone deemed dejected. She reached across the table, taking his calloused hand in hers.

"Will you stop, Noah." Her eyes pleaded with him while she stroked the top of his hand. "You made me feel alive again, don't you see that? I started singing again. I wasn't cooped up in the house anymore. _You_ did that."

"The same way you pushed me." He smirked. "I would never have started writing songs again if it weren't for you."

"We just seem to push each other to do better." Rachel smiled. "And Santana told me you contacted her a few times."

"Did she?" He made a mental note to scold the Latina the next time he talked to her.

"Yeah, that was sweet." She let him pull away from her hand, motioning the waitress over. The waitress nodded politely, placing the check on the table next to Puck.

"I'm rarely called that." Puck laughed, shoving some money onto the table. "Let's get out of here." He reached for her hand. She didn't hesitate, taking it in hers, squeezing it tightly.

"You haven't even asked how long I'm in town for?" Rachel asked when they were finally back at Puck's house. She was feeling a little tipsy after her fourth glass of wine that Puck had so graciously stopped to pick up after dinner.

"I hope it's longer than just tonight." Puck grinned; taking a long sip from the beer can in his hand. They were both sitting on one end of his couch.

"My understudy is filling in for me for a few days." Rachel crossed one leg over the other, her skirt sliding up her leg just a bit, waving her wine glass in her left hand.

"I hope you didn't get a hotel room." Puck put his arm around her tentatively. He didn't want to scare her off, but damn he hadn't seen her in seven months.

"I most certainly did not." She cooed, leaning into his left ear. She was trying to whisper, but he almost laughed at her failed attempt.

"I better cut you off." He leaned over, taking the wine glass from her hand, causing her to out like a child. "Don't want you falling asleep just yet."

"Oh yeah?" Rachel perked up a bit, reaching her hand out to take the wine glass back from him.

"Yeah." He grinned, holding the glass up out of her reach before leaning down, brushing his lips across hers. "We have seven months to make up for."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Rachel gave up on the wine glass, instead leaping from the couch. She steadied herself before grabbing Puck's hand. He discarded the wine glass on the coffee table, allowing Rachel to lead him toward his bedroom. She swayed down the hall as she tried stepping out of her skirt, leaving the discarded piece of clothing on the floor. She smiled seductively as she faced him, running her hands underneath his tight shirt as she pushed it over his head.

Puck was pretty sure seven months of waiting was about to be worth it.

**And there you have it, my lovely readers…the end of this story. I hope you enjoyed it and I can't thank you enough for following me through to the end. Stay tuned for more Puckleberry stories… I just never know what my muse will bring me.**


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